Cam;The temperature of the water is the controlling mechanism for the finished dough temperature. Depending upon how the dough will be managed, different finished dough temperatures will be targeted. For example, I like to cold age (ferment) my dough for several days before I actually use it, so my preference is for a colder dough, such as 80F. It is not right or wrong, it's just what works best for me. Others like to use a warmer finished dough temperature, again, it's what works best for them considering the type of dough they are making, and how they have elected t manage it. For the most part, doughs that are made at home are somewhat warmer than the doughs that are made for use in a pizzeria. If your dough temperature is too warm you will find that the dough exhibits a pronounced tendency to blow (over ferment). Of course, it might also have too much yeast for the temperature you're using too, but that's a whole different story. Experimenting with making pizza at home is half of the fun, the other half is eating it, and for the most part, our failures taste almost as good as our successes.Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Cam;No, it is probably even more important under those conditions. If the dough is too cold when it goes into the fridge you may not get enough fermentation on the dough during the time in the fridge, and if it is too warm/hot you might get more fermentation than desired and find that the dough blows while in the fridge. Where temperature is more important is when you are going to use the dough soon after mixing it. By soon, I mean within the same day or even a few hours. This is where a warmer dough comes into its own. The warmer dough ferments faster so the dough receives sufficient fermentation within the time allocation and we are rewarded with a better finished quality pizza. If you need to source a good, low cast thermometer, try your local drug store/pharmacy, an oral thermometer or one of the newer infrared thermometers are designed to give readings pretty well within the temperature range that most of our doughs will be coming off of the mixer at. A trip to your local auto parts store and $7.00 will get you a dial/stem type thermometer that is used for checking your car's air conditioning unit. This thermometer works well for measuring colder temperatures such as water temperature.Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor